2015 Cadillac CTS-V, car review: GM aims high with most powerful Caddy yet

There are flaws, but it's a lot of fun – it’s not hard to enjoy this much power even at slow speeds

The car makes a welcome change from the usual European way of doing thin

Not for the first time a US manufacturer is pitching itself against Europe’s finest, this time with 6.2 litres of Cadillac going up against the BMW M5 and Mercedes-AMG E63.

2015 Cadillac CTS-V

Location Munich, Germany

On sale Spring 2016

Price £75,255

Engine V8, 6126cc, supercharged, petrol

Power 640bhp at 6400rpm

Torque 631lb ft at 3600rpm

Kerb weight 1950kg

Gearbox 8-spd automatic

0-62mph 3.7sec

Top speed 199mph

Economy 21.7mpg (combined)

CO2/tax band 298g/km / 37%

European drivers may find the idea far-fetched but the CTS-V is clearly a very long way from the familiar tale of a wallowy clunker fitted with a lazy but gigantic V8.

Admittedly it has a monster under the hood: 6.2 litres of supercharged steel giving the car a claimed top speed just one mile an hour short of the double-ton and a 0-62mph time of 3.7 seconds.

But going out to play with the Germans takes more than just guts and we’re assured that the new car has the strengthened underpinnings it needs to make the most of all that extra muscle.

The interior isn't a patch on the best that Europe can offer

Besides a stiffened chassis, with a wider track at both ends, the steering, suspension and brakes have all spent time in GM’s gym. There’s also an electronically controlled limited-slip differential to ensure the best distribution of the rear-wheel drive car’s formidable torque.

So does it work? It surely does. Rarely afraid of a bold claim, Cadillac engineers say it delivers all that torque faster than Ferrari does with its 458 Italia. Blip the throttle and you can believe it too, as the bellowing beast thunders forward with the enthusiasm of a cruise missile.

True, the transmission lacks the speed and refinement of Europe’s best and you may find the eight-speed box works best if you stick it in auto and forget about the paddles.

But perhaps the biggest surprise is the handling. It’s very good with the large body remaining impressively flat even when the driver dials in a fairly sudden chance of direction. Credit goes to the patented Magnetic Ride Control suspension, and the steering is equally impressive in both Track or Sport modes.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is the handling - it's very good

Inevitably it’s not all good news. Once again a ride quality which may impress on the freeways of America comes up short on choppy roads like our own. The Brembo brakes are also lacking when it comes to feel. They work well for what is after all a heavy motor but the lack of feedback can make it hard to approach a fast bend with the sort of gusto the car warrants.

The interior is also a disappointment. It’s not a patch on the best that Europe can offer and it is unlikely to bother either of the rivals named above. It’s big, smart and comfy and it has a lot of equipment, but it lacks class, which is a shame.

That said it’s a lot of fun. It’s not hard to enjoy this much power even at slow speeds. The car also makes a welcome change from the usual European way of doing things, and unlike the other two it is always going to have rarity on its side.

OK, it’s far from cheap, there’s only one dealer presently and it’s left-hand drive. But it comes with a 60,000/three year warranty, we know new GM service points are on their way, and it’s a proper V8 Caddy. That just might be enough.